


Pomegranate

by Draycevixen



Category: The Professionals
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-28
Updated: 2011-04-28
Packaged: 2017-10-18 18:20:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/191848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Draycevixen/pseuds/Draycevixen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bodie's got a lot to say and Doyle is not Persephone.</p><p>For Schnuffi, who gave me the prompt, pomegranate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pomegranate

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Schnuffi](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Schnuffi).



.

“Look Ray, for once I just need you to shut up and listen to me, all right?”

Bodie stared into Ray’s face, bracing for an angry outburst that didn’t come.

“Smart arse, decided to take me literally, eh? That’s good then as I don’t fancy having to repeat any of this.”

Bodie shifted around in his seat, bringing one hand to rest on Doyle’s forearm. He was surprised when Doyle didn’t shrug it off.

“D’you remember when it started? You and me I mean. I do.

We were dossed down in that squat across the road from Wendell’s house, ordered to watch and wait. I was sat at the window when of all the bloody unlikely things to do you pulled a pomegranate out of your holdall, said Alex had given it to you when you’d gone to pick up dinner from the back of his restaurant. You ripped it open, cupped the halves between your hands and started biting the seeds out with those sharp little teeth of yours, some of the juice dripping on to the floor between your spread legs.

That’s when I started babbling anything I could think of to distract me from your wet glistening mouth, banging on about how precious the fruit had been considered to be in ancient times, sacred even, that some scholars even claimed that the apple mentioned in the Bible had actually been a pomegranate. You just gave me that _what the hell’s he on about now?_ look and then you tilted your head back all the way, crushing the remainder of the fruit between those long fingers of yours and the juice ran into your mouth, trailing down your chin on to your neck and I was up out of my chair before I could stop myself, crossing the room, licking the juice off the long line of your throat. I swear I can still taste the tart sweetness of it against the salty background of your razor stubble.

You dropped what was left of the pomegranate and punched me. I should have just asked you to forgive me but I was too far gone for that. I got back up, the pomegranate husk crunching under my foot, wrapped my arms around you and then, then I kissed you. I thought I was going to die of a heart attack when you kissed me back. I can’t remember if it was a matter of minutes or years before you finally shoved me away, talking a mile a minute about how we had a job to do and that was that.”

Bodie slid his hand down to lock his fingers with Doyle’s.

“Or so I thought. You said it and you seemed to mean it. Ray Doyle, the man who wants to talk everything to death had nothing to say on the subject and you wouldn’t let me say anything either. Any other topic of conversation was fine, just like it always was, but if I tried to bring it up you’d stare at me like I’d just suggested clubbing baby seals on our holidays.”

Bodie’s fingers tightened.

“Then we were coming in from that mess at the farm, I could tell you were really mad with me, ready to rip my head off for taking stupid risks to protect you, although I never see that as stupid at all but rather smart of me really and... no, sorry, I’m losing the thread here.

Anyway, we were alone in the lift and you hit the button to stop it between floors and I thought here it comes, this is where he really lays into me and you did... but not in the way I was thinking you would. You rammed me up against the back of the lift so hard my head bounced off it. While my ears were still ringing your hands were clawing at my backside and you were shoving your tongue down my throat. I couldn’t breathe and it was still the most bloody marvellous thing that had ever happened to me... and then Anson started banging on the door of the floor above us and you backed off, turned to hit the start button and then faced forward like nothing had happened. I had to keep the holdall in front of my trousers just to make it in to the office without embarrassing myself in front of the squad.

And you still wouldn’t talk about it. I kept pushing and you kept running except for those unpredictable moments when you’d grab me and feel me up like we were two randy teenagers behind the bike sheds but any real move on my part to return the favour and you shut me down. I still thought with time you might tell me what was going on in that head of yours but nothing... and then Ann Holly came back and you were so bloody happy to see her, like she hadn’t just walked out and left you, the snotty bitch... I’d have never left you Ray if you’d wanted _me._

So, I got a bit plastered on Friday, followed you outside the pub when you left early and backed you up against the alley wall, demanded that you tell me what the hell was going on. I should have been careful what I wished for. You told me that you wanted me but that you didn’t want to fucking want me. I remember thinking in a strangely detached fashion that it was an interesting sentence. You said that lust wasn’t worth fucking up the partnership for and then you went to leave and I grabbed your arm to pull you back and you turned and stumbled, jerking away from me and spun right out into the road in front of that van and... fuck, Ray, fucking hell, I didn’t want that to happen, you know I didn’t.”

Bodie raised his head to stare at Ray’s face, so pale against the hospital sheets.

“Anyway mate it’s been two days and the doctors still don’t know why you haven’t woken up. They said I should talk to you, so sorry for rabbiting on about this stuff but it’s doctors’ orders.

Here’s something you don’t know. It’s bloody daft but I just can’t shake the feeling that you should never have eaten that pomegranate, that you’re going to get stuck in the underworld like Persephone did and that it’s all my fault for wanting you so much and Ray if you don’t wake up it’ll always be winter and...”

Bodie bit his lip hard, anything to stem the semi-hysterical flow of words, working consciously to calm his breathing.

“Just wake up Ray. I’ll let it go, I promise I will. Ann’ll be here soon. It took us a while to find her as she and her friends had decided to leave Paris for Brittany for a couple of days, but she’ll be here in the morning. I’ll leave once she gets here. When you stop faking it” Bodie again tightened his hold on Doyle’s hand “and get your arse back to work we can still be partners... or not, whatever you want, Ray. I’ll never mention us... it again.”

Bodie stood up slowly and then bent over Doyle to brush his lips lightly across his forehead.

“Just so you know though, wasn’t lust... well, not all lust, that was more the result than the cause. Truth is I love you, though fuck knows why, you’re an irritating bugger, all elbows and spit fire.”

As Bodie straightened up, Doyle’s hand tightened on his and his eyes opened.

“I’m not... Persephone... I’d have told... Hades... to fuck off” Ray croaked.

“Ray! Course you would’ve mate.”

“...Go away.”

The huge goofy smile was wiped immediately from Bodie’s face, right before his jaw set stubbornly.

“I’m not leaving you alone. I’ll stay until Ann gets here Ray, then I’ll go.”

Doyle tugged weakly on his arm pulling him in closer.

“Meant... tell Ann... go away... to fuck off... you’re right... she left me.” Doyle’s lips brushed up against Bodie’s. “You stay... love _you_... too.”

Doyle’s eyes closed again, his weak grip on Bodie loosening. Bodie sank back down in his chair, suddenly exhausted and knowing that now he could sleep, now that he knew for certain that there would be a spring.

 

.


End file.
